Weather today: Severe storms threaten central US as Erick to intensify into major hurricane
More than 98 million people, including those in St. Louis, Indianapolis and Detroit, face a severe weather threat on Wednesday, June 18. Severe storms are expected in parts of the Midwest, Ohio Valley and Great Lakes region in the US on Wednesday, Fox News reported.
According to the NOAA's Storm Prediction Center, a Level 3 out of 5 risk of severe thunderstorms remains in place for the Indianapolis metro area, while St. Louis and Detroit are in the Level 2 out of 5 risk. This comes after severe storms rocked several areas in the central Plains on Tuesday, with winds recorded over 100 mph and hail.
On Wednesday, thunderstorms are predicted to develop in the afternoon, with damaging wind gusts and isolated hail. Also, there are possibilities of tornadoes covering the northern Indiana and southern Michigan area.
The National Hurricane Center has issued a warning that tropical storm Erick strengthened in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, roughly 180 miles south-southeast of Mexico's Puerto Angel. It is now expected to intensify into a hurricane by late Wednesday or early Thursday.
Erick is the fifth named storm in the Eastern Pacific hurricane season this year. It is predicted to be the first named storm in the Atlantic or Eastern Pacific basins to make landfall.
Earlier, the Mexican government issued a hurricane warning, covering regions from Puerto Angel to Acapulco. Besides this, tropical weather alerts were issued for the south and north regions of the expected landfall area.
Also read: Extreme heat grips US Southwest, health experts recommend ditching caffeine and alcohol
Heat advisories have been issued for several regions in Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and eastern Arizona due to low humidity, strong winds and rising temperatures in these areas.
On Wednesday, temperature could reach as high as 110 degree Fahrenheit and more in places like Las Vegas and Phoenix. It is because of the summer season that starts to settle in the Southwest.
The high temperatures will later shift east into the Plains, mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions by Friday, ahead of the astronomical summer.
Hurricane Erick will soon form in the Eastern Pacific, potentially bringing flooding to Mexico's coastal regions.
The severe thunderstorm risks are for the Midwest and lower Great Lakes for the day.
High temperatures are expected across parts of the Desert Southwest into western Texas and north Alaska, the National Weather Service states.
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Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Two dead in Mexico as Hurricane Erick moves on from Mexican coast
AI- Generated Image PUERTO ESCONDIDO: Hurricane Erick killed at least two people as it swept through southern Mexico causing significant damage to coastal communities before weakening to a low-pressure system Thursday night, authorities said. A man was electrocuted while helping with debris removal in the southern Oaxaca state, where Erick made landfall, after handling high-voltage cables near a stream, the state government said. A child died in neighbouring Guerrero state after being swept away by a swollen stream as his mother tried to carry him across in the town of San Marcos, civil protection authorities reported. The US National Hurricane Centre's latest advisory at 0300 GMT said Erick had weakened overnight to a tropical storm located 95 miles (155 kilometres) from Acapulco port, with sustained winds of 30 mph (50 kmh) as it moved across southern Mexico on Thursday. Coastal communities in Oaxaca including Lagunas de Chacahua, home to around 2,800 people, were directly hit by the storm, which destroyed thatched roofs and flooded streets. "It was very strong, very ugly... the entire town is homeless, without clothes, we have no help," Francisca Avila, a 45-year-old housewife, told AFP, as she surveyed the loss of most of her belongings. In the tourist town of Puerto Escondido, residents and emergency personnel worked to drain flooded streets and clear debris left behind as the storm knocked over trees and street signs and buried boats under sand on the beach. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Memperdagangkan CFD Emas dengan salah satu spread terendah? IC Markets Mendaftar Undo Much of the town of about 30,000 people was left without electricity or cell phone coverage. The water "had never hit with this magnitude" in Puerto Escondido, 44-year-old merchant Luis Alberto Gil, whose shop was among those flooded, told AFP. President Claudia Sheinbaum announced during her morning briefing that heavy rains are still expected in the southern states of Guerrero, Oaxaca, and Chiapas, as well as Veracruz and Puebla. She thanked the population for following the authorities' recommendations "very responsibly," in a message shared on her social media. The president reported 15 road sections closed in the state of Oaxaca, as well as more than 123,000 users affected by power outages. Memories of Otis Mexico sees major storms every year, usually between May and November, on both its Pacific and Caribbean coasts. In October 2023, Acapulco, a major port and beach resort in Guerrero, was pummelled by Hurricane Otis, a powerful Category 5 storm that killed dozens of people. Hurricane John, another Category 3 storm that hit in September last year, caused about 15 deaths. Sheinbaum had urged people to avoid going out and advised those living in low-lying areas or near rivers to move to shelters - some 2,000 of which had been set up in Chiapas, Guerrero and Oaxaca in anticipation. "Since (Erick) just made landfall, we are in contact with the Defence (department) and the Navy, who are in the area, and we will be able to inform in a few hours what the effects are on these populations," she said at her daily press conference Thursday morning. Restaurants remained shuttered in Puerto Escondido even though some tourists insisted on staying and riding out the storm. Around 250 miles (400 kilometres) north along the Pacific coast, Acapulco - a major port and resort city famous for its nightlife - was largely deserted Thursday as residents heeded calls to hunker down, with shops boarded up and tourist boats grounded. Many had stocked up the day before on food, water and gasoline.
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
Mexico assesses damage from Hurricane Erick as rising rivers leave at least 1 dead
Mexico assesses damage from Hurricane Erick as rising rivers leave at least 1 dead (Image: AP) ACAPULCO: Authorities in southern Mexico were still assessing damage and watching rising rivers as rain from the remnants of Hurricane Erick doused the region. Torrential rains over steep coastal mountains and the landslides and flooding they could generate became ongoing concern for officials after Erick dissipated following a landfall early Thursday on a sparsely populated stretch of coast. At least one death was confirmed late Thursday, a 1-year-old boy who drowned in a swollen river. Erick came ashore down southern Mexico's Pacific coast in the morning as a Category 3 major hurricane, but it landed between the resort cities of Acapulco and Puerto Escondido. Authorities reported landslides, blocked highways, downed power lines and some flooding as coastal residents, above all in Acapulco, took the storm seriously with memories of the devastating Hurricane Otis in 2023 still fresh in their minds. With a steady rain falling on Acapulco, residents and remaining tourists emerged to walk outside or visit businesses opening gradually as the remnants of Hurricane Erick scraped by just inland of the resort. In Puerto Escondido, fishermen searched for and inspected storm-tossed boats and residents cleared downed trees and other debris. The threat of heavy rain remained in the mountains that rise abruptly behind Acapulco's famed beaches. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Erick spent the day dragging through the coastal mountain range, dropping torrential quantities of rain. It was expected to dissipate Thursday night over the mountains in Michoacan state. Erick once had Category 4 strength The U.S. National Hurricane Centre in Miami said Erick was centred about 155 kilometres (95 miles) north-northwest of Acapulco Thursday night. Its maximum sustained winds were 45 kph (30 mph), degrading it to a low pressure area. It was moving northwest at 20 kph (13 mph). Erick had strengthened to a Category 4 storm as it approached the coast but weakened before making landfall to a Category 3. Having doubled in strength in less than a day, Erick churned through an ideal environment for quick intensification. Last year, there were 34 incidents of rapid intensification - when a storm gains at least 55 kph (35 mph) in 24 hours - which is about twice the average and causes problems with forecasting, according to the hurricane centre. One death reported President Claudia Sheinbaum said Thursday "the people have reacted very well so far." But authorities warned the heavy rain would now become the problem. Forecasters expected up to 40 centimetres (16 inches) of rain could fall across Oaxaca and Guerrero, with lesser totals in Chiapas, Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco states. The rainfall threatened flooding and mudslides, especially in areas with steep terrain. Late Thursday, Guerrero state Civil Defence Director Roberto Arroyo said that a 1-year-old boy had died in San Marcos, an inland community southeast of Acapulco in the path of Erick. The child's mother had tried to cross a swollen river while carrying the child, but he slipped from her arms and drowned. Residents venture out Restaurants, shops and supermarkets gradually reopened in Acapulco, but schools were to remain closed across Guerrero on Friday as authorities continued to assess damage, clear debris and monitor rising rivers. "Many of us were frightened, but now it has passed," said Juan Carlos Castaneda, a 49-year-old security guard at an Acapulco condominium complex. He said the "tragedy of Otis marked all of us." Despite the rain, Castaneda decided to go out for a walk. Down the coast in the fishing village of Barra Vieja, the wind-whipped surf battered the shore and heavy rain kept residents sheltered indoors. Perla Rosas, however, was among the few who ventured out, umbrella in hand, to get to her job at a convenience store. "I feel more relaxed now, so I decided to come to work." Acapulco still scarred by Otis Acapulco residents had braced for Erick's arrival with more preparation and trepidation because of the memory of the devastation two years earlier. The city of nearly 1 million was hit in October 2023 by Hurricane Otis, a Category 5 hurricane that rapidly intensified and caught many unprepared. At least 52 people died in Otis and the storm severely damaged almost all of the resort's hotels.
Hindustan Times
9 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Heavy rain likely across Maharashtra in next 2-3 hours, rivers breach danger mark
Several districts of Maharashtra have been placed on high alert as very heavy to heavy rains are likely in the state in the next 2-3 hours. The relentless rainfall has also pushed multiple rivers across Maharashtra above the danger mark, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and local authorities said. A red alert — the highest level of weather warning — has been issued for Palghar district and the ghat regions of Nashik and Pune, forecasting extremely heavy rain in isolated areas. An orange alert has been sounded for Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, Nashik, Ratnagiri, and parts of Satara, cautioning residents of potential flooding and hazardous conditions. Also Read | Bengaluru beats hill stations Lonavala, Srinagar with unusually cool temperatures The alerts remain in effect until 8:30 am on June 20 In Raigad, the Amba and Kundalika rivers have crossed the danger level, and a warning has been issued for the Patalganga River as well. In Ratnagiri, the Jagbudi River is also flowing above the danger level. As a precaution, all schools and colleges in the Raigad district have been declared closed for the day. Also Read | Weather Bee: How did monsoon restart after a three-week pause? Some rivers, like Amba and Jagbudi, have flooded a few towns on their banks. In western Maharashtra, the Indrayani and some other rivers are also in flood. In Nashik, the Godavari River is swollen due to heavy rains in the catchment area. In the Sindhudurg district, access to Nadar village in Kudal tehsil has been cut off due to overflowing of the local Hateri river. Meanwhile, a landslide occurred at Kuchambe village in Sangmeshwar tehsil of Ratnagiri, and the villagers were moved to safer locations. Also Read | Weather today: Severe storms threaten central US as Erick to intensify into major hurricane As per the Maharashtra State Disaster Management Cell, Mumbai recorded the highest 142.6 mm rainfall in the state in the 24 hours ending at 11 am, followed by 134.1 mm rain in Raigad district, 120.9 mm in Palghar district, 90.3 mm in Thane and 60.5 mm in Mumbai suburban district. (with PTI inputs)
